Key support



R. C. LEGAT Sept. 14, 193 7.

KEY SUPPORT Filed June 5, 1936 jayerezoy fi'ef? ale Patented Sept. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEY SUPPORT Application June 5, 1936, Serial No. 83,658

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved key supporting arrangement particularly adapted to be employed in key cases, for example, of the conventional leather type. More particularly, the

5 present invention affords an arrangement to securely retained upon the support.

facilitate the individual removal of key hangers from the supporting plate and case when desired. Often the user of a key case prefers to remove certain hangers with the associated keys so that only a few keys are retained with the case, thus permitting the latter to be more compact and more conveniently carried in the pocket or handbag. Moreover, it is sometimes desirable to interchange the position of the keys and hangers in the case or to replace a broken or damaged hanger.

The present invention particularly affords a simple, inexpensive arrangement permitting the removal of any selected hanger when desired, but ordinarily arranged so that the hangers are Furthermore, such means may be arranged so that the detachable connection between the hanger and support also is normally eflective in locking the key upon the hanger, the removal of the hanger from the support permitting the key to be removed from the hanger or permitting an empty hanger to receive a key.

To permit these desirable results, the upper end of the hanger may be detachably connected to an individual support which in turn is pivotally connected to the retaining plate. For example, the hanger may be of symmetrical construction, having the upper ends of its two legs provided with outturned end portions which normally engage an annular retaining flange on the support. These legs are formed of resilient wire so that they may be distorted inwardly to permit the hanger to be removed from the support. Thus when the hanger is in normal position the key is locked in the hanger and the latter is held on the support. The connection afforded by the outturned ends of the hanger legs and the annular flange of the support permits a pivotal movement of the hanger about the axis of the support and also permits a limited swinging movement in planes extending radially from said axis. Thus the novelconnecting arrangement provided by the present invention not only per- 0 mits the ready disconnection of the hanger from the support and the locking of the key on the hanger, but also permits a limited universal movement of the hanger relative to the support and retaining plate. Accordingly considerable freedom of movement of any individual key relative to the hanger is afiorded, thus facilitating the convenience of the device.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of my improved key hanger assembly, showing the same secured to a conventional enclosing case, the latter being in its open position and certain of the hangers being omitted, a key being shown as supported by one of the hangers;

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail taken on a plane at right angles to the plane of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view but with the hanger shown distorted to the shape which it possesses when it is about to be removed from the support; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged isometric view of a portion of the supporting plate.

The accompanying drawing may be referred to as presenting a' preferred exemplification of the present invention, the numeral l designating a conventional key case which may be formed of leather or the like. This case is provided with an intermediate portion to which a supporting or retaining plate I0 is secured by fastening means such as rivets II. This plate has a generally planar body portion with cutout portions l3 of generally rectangular shape adjoining its upper margin. Above these cutout portions the edge of the sheet metal of the plate is bent into a cylindrical or bead-like portion which is divided into bead-like sections M by slots disposed in alignment with the intermediate portions of the rectangular openings I3. A pintle wire l6 is secured in these bead-like sections of the plate. The hanger supports have eye portions l5 through which the pintle pin [6 extends (Fig. 3). Each eye portion may be welded to or'ina tegrally connected to a cup-like retaining part ll, the latter being provided with an inturned and slightly upturned annular flange l8 surrounding a central opening at the bottom of the support. The hangers 20 may be of symmetrical form, each having similar legs 2| inclining upwardly toward each other and having their lower ends connected to provide a conventional key supporting wire loop. The extremities of the hanger legs are turned outwardly, as designated by reference characters 2l and in their normal positions these portions of the hanger engage the annular flange N3 of the corresponding support (Fig. 3), the resiliency of the hanger tending to hold the upper ends of its legs apart.

When it is desired to remove a hanger from 2 e the corresponding hanger support either to permit a key to be received by the hanger or to per- 7 mit the removal of a key, or for any other desired purpose, the upper ends of the hanger legs are pressed toward each other to occupy the position shown in Fig. 4, while the corresponding suping recessed portion'of' theisupport, considerable port may conveniently be held against thesurface, of the casing I which is exposed by the corresponding opening l3 in the retaining plate.

When the legs of the hanger are pressed together.

and the parts occupy the relative position shown in Fig. 4, the outturned ends 2 l of the legsr'nay be removed through the opening provide w by the annular flange l8, thus permitting theh'anger to be detached. Obviously the hanger may be replaced in a similar manner. V

Since each hanger support is pivotally mounted on the pintle pin l6 and may swing freely about thesarne and since the outturned portions 21 of 7 each'ha'nge'r may rotate freely in-the correspond.-

freedom of 'move'ment is .afiordedbetween the hangers-and the supporting plate. Furthermore, the "por'tio'n's ll of the hangerpreferablydo not have a height as greatas that of the recess which receivesthe 'same so; that a limited swinging movement of the hanger relative to thesupport V is also permitted-thus enhancing the facility of movement of the key relative to the supporting plate. In other words, not only'may the support itseli swingielative' to the retaining plate, but

7 the 'ha-rig'er may turn about the-axis of the cup- 7 e t e week like portion of the support l1 and may have a limited swinging rnovement in radial planes extending frorn said axis. i

It is furthermore evident that the arrangement of the openings l3 in effect affords recesses in whichthe back portions'of Tthe cup-like parts I! of the hanger 'supports inay normally be received, thjus reducing the'effec Ive thickness of the 'key easewb le mlus' andt'endingto hold the hangers or l s a art. lI me ur rme f b e that thelupperjpartof the generally planar portion oigthe iplate-flll isbent outwardly so that it s beaded;portionzis slightly spacedirom the i g' s 2 and l. the eyes l5 ofs the vsupports do notmecessar ly. engage the j pper edgeq na e. ammo ritth am outwardly .as mightjbei the case; were the body portion .of the plateexactlyiplanar.

l It should be understood that. the present disclosu're is f or'thepurpose oi illustrationonly and that'tl'ii's invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

7 I claim: 7

1. A key supporting assembly for a key case or the likecomprising a supporting plate having spaced beaded portions at its upper edge and a planar body portion, a continuous pintle pin supported by said beaded'porti'o'ns and extending therebetween, said body portion having openings f communicating with the spaces between the beaded portions, hanger supports having parts pivotaliy mounted on the pin between the beaded.

therebe'tween, said body portion having openings communicating with the spaces between the beaded portions hanger supports having parts pivotally mounted on the pin between the beaded portionsof the plate, said, supports having recess'edportions normally extending into the open -v ingsin said body portion; each of said recessed portions providing a recess with an openingat its lower end, and hangers havingresilientleg portions with their upper ends normally interfitting. with the recessed portions'of the supports, said legs being capable of beingdistorted to permit the removal of the hangers from the supports.

3.. A key supporting assembly for, a'key case or the like, comprising. a supporting plate having a beaded upper margin and a planar body portion, hanger supports having upper parts pivotally'connectedtothe beaded margin of the supporting .plate, eachof, said supports having a recessed portion providing an opening at the bottom of the support and affording an annular flange surrounding the opening, hangers having resilient leg portionswith, their upper. nds outturn'ed and normally fitting over the annular flanges of the supports, the legs of each hanger beingcapable of distortion't'oward each other toperrnit the removal of ,the hangers from the supports, said supporting plate having a plurality of openings below itsbeaded upper margin;;into which the recessed portions of the hanger supports normally extend. v I

" ROBERT C. LEGAT, 

